1. Join a Streaty Bari Street Food Tour

The best way to kick off your weekend is by diving headfirst into the local food scene. A Bari street food tour with Streaty is the ideal solution to do this by skipping the long-queue touristy bakeries and taking you straight in the off-the-beaten-path street food spots; our Food tour of Bari is your “backstage pass” to the city. We will take you through the hidden corners to taste the real icons of Bari, from the legendary Focaccia Barese—crunchy on the edges and soft in the middle—to the savory sgagliozze (fried polenta) and the famous panzerotto. It’s the perfect way to learn the city’s secrets while eating like a local. If you want to do a food tour on your own, make sure you ask locals, some of the best food venues are located outside or at the edges of Bari Vecchia.

2. Get lost in Bari Vecchia (The Old Town)

The beating heart of the city is Bari Vecchia. This maze of narrow alleys is where traditions remain untouched. You can’t miss “Orecchiette Street” (Via delle Orecchiette), where local grandmothers sit outside their homes skillfully hand-rolling pasta. This district is also home to the Basilica of Saint Nicholas, a stunning example of Pugliese Romanesque architecture that holds the relics of the saint who inspired the legend of Santa Claus.

3. Explore the elegance of Bari Nuova

Just across the symbolic border of Corso Vittorio Emanuele II lies Bari Nuova, also known as the Murat district. Planned in the early 19th century, this area features a modern grid layout and grand boulevards. It is the city’s hub for shopping and culture. Take a stroll down Via Sparano for high-end fashion or admire the majestic Petruzzelli Theater, one of the most important opera houses in Italy.

4. Walk the Lungomare at Sunset

Bari boasts one of the longest and most beautiful waterfronts (Lungomare) in Italy. A walk here at sunset is a local ritual. You’ll see fishermen at the “N’derre alla Lanz” market selling the “crudo di mare” (raw seafood) including local octopus, a true Bari obsession. Grab a cold Peroni beer, sit on the sea wall, and enjoy the view of the Adriatic. Most of tourists miss this but you are not “most of tourists”, so make sure you enjoy this very intimate moment with real local life in Bari. Streaty also offers private Fish & Wine Tours of Bari for gourmands of the Mediterranean Sea flavors.

5. Visit the Cathedral of San Sabino and the Basilica of San Nicola

While the Basilica of San Nicola gets most of the fame, the Cathedral of San Sabino is an architectural gem that shouldn’t be overlooked. Its white limestone facade and the intricate rose window are breathtaking. If you visit during the summer solstice, you can witness a magical light show where the sun aligns perfectly with the rose window, projecting its shape onto the marble floor. A must for all San Nicola’s devotes is a visit to the worldwide famous Basilica that preserves the relics of Bari’s Patron Saint. The sacrality of the place is boosted by the presence of pilgrims coming from all over the world.

Ready to explore the flavors of Puglia? Check out our small-group food tours of Bari! See you in the backstreets!

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